1978 BMW reviews

I've had this bike for over 20 years. I have not always taken care of it properly or even washed it for years at a time. It has never broken down on me or left me standing on the side of the road like some newer and more expensive rides. It is not how fast we arrive but how much enjoyment we get. This bike will run forever and is a comfortable ride. I would recommend this bike to anyone. Show less

I have owned this old bike for about 5 years now and enjoy riding it every day, about a 40 mile round trip. It has only let me down about three times in all that period, and always an electrical fault - usually related to non-starting. I now have a higher rated battery and have had the connections checked and all seems well just now. Luckily we have a registered BMW service agent in town who knows these bikes inside out. Wonderful simple technology and built like tanks. Show less

I own an R80/7 as well as an 83 R100 RS. The R80 is much smoother and the gas mileage is astounding. As with all Beemer airheads, parts are readily available if you know where to look. While it is true it doesn't have the peak power of an R100, it isn't really that much less in actual practice. Its shortcomings in the power department are more than made up for in other areas. It is a superb long-distance tourer. Show less

As typical with Beemers, this one is of great quality. The bits and pieces on this are all allen screws, aluminum, billeted aluminum trees etc. No junk. That in itself makes it a "fine" motorcycle. I like the power band (for an 800). The R100's probably would suit more riders. So... for a few extra bucks get the larger displacement. I think the assessed value for this bike is somewhat low. Again, look at the bits and pieces -- good quality, no scrimping or cheaper production methods/materials were used in the manufacture of any BMW. Ever! Show less

The only reason I've given this a 3 star rating is due to time passing this one by. I've owned this bike for quite a while and have 127,000 miles on it. It's my only ride and has been my only ride since the early 1980s. I should have put some extra cash into a R100. It's a good bike, dependable, comfortable, it exudes quality. But... It doesn't like unleaded gas, it drinks only premium and still knocks a bit. The service interval is 3K for just about everything. The brakes seem weak. Torque is okay... Horsepower is what -- 40 - 45? This is a geezer bike and I guess I'm just getting tired of turning wrenches at night for a couple of weekend jaunts through the hills. While this bike does many things well, it just doesn't get up a dance. I also believe that the pricing on this bike is low... I haven't seen too many going for less than 2500 and sometimes even 2900 to 3200. Accessories are darn near impossible to find. Things like luggage racks, back rests, etc... are virtually non-existent. Two years ago I tried to get some shocks from progressive... back ordered. I never did get them although I spent about 9 months updating my order. So there you have it. These are like Nortons or older Triumphs or slant6, slant7 bikes. Buy 'em if you really need to. However, if your goal is a technologically advanced hard charging multi-miles, low service interval ride, check out something a little more current. And that's my 2cents. Show less